With California gas tax on the rise once again, Rep. David Valadao (R–Hanford) and his GOP colleagues in the Golden State are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to suspend the tax increase.
The backstory: California’s gas tax, which currently sits around $0.53, is scheduled to rise by 7.4 percent on Saturday to bring the total tax up to around $0.58.
- Last year Valadao and the the GOP delegation petitioned the governor for a full suspension of the gas tax to no avail.
Driving the news: In the letter, the entire California Republican delegation says the tax increase places an unnecessary burden on Californians, who already have to deal with the high cost of living in the state.
- “Californians continue to be confronted with exorbitant gasoline prices, ranking among the highest in the country, and the rapidly increasing cost of basic necessities, such as housing, food, energy, and transportation,” the letter reads.
- The delegation called on Newsom to consider that Californians may no longer desire to remain in the state if the gas tax continues to increase.
- “California recently experienced a significant shift in its representation in the House of Representatives, losing a seat for the first time in its history,” the letter reads. “This loss can be attributed to the substantial number of individuals who have chosen to leave the state in search of more affordable living conditions. Increasing the gas tax may worsen this trend, contributing to the exodus of taxpaying California residents.”
